


In bloom

by stopthismiracle



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Self-Discovery, minor yutae, the non con is only mentioned not described
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-24 01:35:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10731435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stopthismiracle/pseuds/stopthismiracle
Summary: Taeil blooms a little bit later, but it's better that way.





	In bloom

He bloomed late, that was the only logic reason that he found himself to explain his weird behavior. Because at 19 you’re supposed to be over the stage where you have to get up from the bed earlier than everybody else to clean your sheets, and most of all you’re supposed to know already what you like. Taeil didn’t. He spent his teenage days looking how his classmates suddenly started talking about girls, no in a romantic way of course. He never understood why or how his classmates feel that way towards any human being. He didn’t feel anything. During that time, he began to grow apart from his pairs. The only thing that mattered to him was singing. It was the thing that made him feel satisfied.

 

So when he auditioned to get into an entertainment agency it wasn’t a surprise for anybody. He didn’t get into one, but he got into university which was almost equally satisfying.

 

First year went on a blur whit him trying to cope around with high level of stress and almost the same levels of caffeine in his body. By the end of the year he made only one friend who was also his roommate. Somehow, he gets invited to spend a month in Hansol place (he came from a town close to the sea, they moved to a central city but they keep the house). Hansol has a lot of friends, apparently, but most of them were one year younger than them, none of them was in university yet, but according to him they were all planning to get into the same institution so they could hang out in between classes. Both laughed at this.

It was there when he figured out (well, he got it semi figured out when in one party after the first semester he decided to get wasted and spend the whole night kissing a boy, but let’s forget about that). It was a week after they arrived at the lovely house where Hansol’s family used to live when he figured out. He met all his high school friends in there, it was awkward at the beginning, but afterwards it was easy to be there, and perhaps it helped the fact that he spent a lot of his time catching on sleep.

It was late at night and Hansol and Taeyong went our looking for drinks (“aren’t you all underage?” he asked. “We drink since we’re 16” Replied Yuta, receiving lovely punch from Taeyong who said, “We’re 18, well except for Doyoung and Jaehyun, but they don’t mind”), so the obvious thing to do was to prepare some food and movies to watch while the other were out. By the time they came back they were already watching a movie.

“Look who’s here!” Someone screamed in the front door. All the boy stood up in joy hugging the boy who made such a joyful entrance in the back Taeyong was fighting to keep the bottles of beer in his arms.

“Johnny, this is Taeil, a friend from university.”

 

 

 

 

Johnny, or Youngho, turned out to be his reason. When he saw him standing there he figured out he had a thing for broad shoulder, and long limbs. He also, turned out to be the funniest and sweetest boy he had ever met, Hansol was pestering him about how Johnny made him smile and laugh in two days, and it took him like a month to made him talk.

He was always shy when it came to socializing, but Johnny knew how to crawl under that wall that was between Taeil and the rest of the world. It was logic for Taeil at least to develop feeling for the younger boy, he spent most of their vacation by his side. He became sad when he found out that he was going to study in America, while the rest of the boys were going to be in the same university as him. That was the first time when he hugged the taller boy.

And he felt so right in between those arms. He didn’t want to let go.

 

 

The last day of their vacation was spent playing drinking games. It was already late when they got more serious with their questions, at some point Hansol and Yuta disappeared from his side, but he didn’t put many thought on it. Johnny sat by his side and he put his head on his shoulder after laughing at something Doyoung said.

“Ok Taeil is your turn, truth or dare?”

“Truth.” He wasn’t in a state to made a dare.

“An easy one.” Said Jaehyun. “First kiss?”

“I…” he clutched the bottle of beer between his hands. “I haven’t had it yet.”

“What? Really?” Everybody’s eyes opened, he even thought Taeyong was going to drop his beer.

“Yeah… I was never interested in that stuff.”

“You’re really unique, Taeil.” Johnny said in his ear. He was distracted by it for a second and all the boys started playing something else.

“I never said I was normal.”

“I want to show something.” Johnny said standing up

They walked away from the house, Taeil was laughing the whole because in his drunk state everything was funny. They got close to the sea, they barely could see Hansol’s house. Johnny sat in the sand offering his lap for Taeil to sit. He hugged the younger boy smiling. All his shyness gone.

“You should be watching the sea, not me.” Johnny said laughing at older not making any effort to make him look at the sea.

“I can watch it later.” He said not letting him go. Johnny smiled at him.

“I can’t go back without doing this”

“What thing?” He said when he felt Johnny’s lips on him, he tried to kiss him back but with his lack of practice he pretty much suck at it. “Ok, that was horrible… “

Johnny laughed. “It doesn’t matter, we have the whole night for us.”

Something ringed in his stomach when Johnny said that. Around the third kiss he got the grasp of it, and he thought that maybe he didn’t suck anymore because Johnny only stopped when they needed air, only to resume their kissing and groping.

 

He spent the week before Johnny parted to America with him, feeding themselves kisses.

The first time he felt something sexual wasn’t Johnny, but he kind of helped to get that to happen.

They didn’t have sex because Taeil was really scared of it. It was mostly Johnny the one who was eager to have it. Taeil was happy with their kisses.

 

 

After two months of Johnny’s departure he was in the middle of the night waiting for the washing to clean the only sheets he owned. He woke suddenly from a dream where Johnny was in between his legs licking his penis like it was the most delicious thing, he came untouched soiling his sheets and pants.

His bigger surprise was to find Yuta at the washing machines. He didn’t ask anything, during his first year he had this kind of weird habits too.

“How’s living with Taeyong?” Yuta rolled back his eyes in a way Taeil hadn’t seen before.

“He’s a clean freak. He even washes his clothes by hand, who does that when there’s a machine that does everything?”

Taeil laughed quietly noticing how stressed Yuta was about it. He helped the younger remove his clothes from the drying machine.

“Hey, I don’t know if Hansol told you anything, he probably forgot about it, but on Friday we’re going back to town to celebrate baby Jaehyun’s birthday. You’re invited too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah… Jaehyun forgot to ask your number.”

 

Taeyong came looking for Yuta around 1 am., apparently he couldn’t make the heating to work and Yuta was the only one who knew about that stuff, he was studying something about machines after all. Taeil looked at them sweetly while his sheets were drying.

He came back to his room greeted by Hansol attacking their refrigerator. “Sorry, I’m really hungry.”

“It’s ok.” He didn’t say anything about the bag that Taeil had in his hand.  “I’m going to sleep”.

They lived in a small apartment near campus, having his own room (even if it was small) was way better than having to share it with someone. And they got make parties at the end of the week. Yuta and Taeyong rented a similar apartment, but instead of fighting for the bigger room, they decided to share it, and use the other room to put their games on it. It was nice having more people around, most of all on the weekends, when he was too lazy to go back home.

Once they decided to live in the same building, Taeil asked quietly why wasn’t he going to room with Yuta, Hansol didn’t answer an only looked at the younger boys with a sad smile.

After two weeks he confessed to Taeil. “He doesn’t look at me that way.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was late and he came back after a long day trying to not pass out in his desk in the middle of a class, the night before he barely got any sleep, when he received a text from an unknown number.

**Taeil? Hi, I got your number from Hansol, it’s Jaehyun-ie  
**

Jaehyun-ie! How are you?

**Good! Good!, how’s uni going? No one answers my texts anymore ;-;**

We’ve been so busy this week, jaehyun-ah

Midterms are coming soon

Y_Y

**Wow, I feel bad for you guys :´(**

Soon you’ll be like us.

**Please don’t say that :c**

Ah! I forgot to tell to come on Friday with the rest of the group, I’m throwing a small party for you guys

Because my parents are away

I’ll go!

Yuta told me about it.

 

They texted each other for about two hours without noticing. Taeil went to sleep with smile and the phone on his hand.

 

He bought a present for Jaehyun before taking the train with the rest of the boys he hid in his backpack with the other stuff he was taking with them (mostly underwear for the weekend), while in the train he found out from Taeyong that it wasn’t Jaehyun’s birthday, that Yuta was dumb.

He felt his cheeks go red, he laughed to dissimulate.

Apparently Jaehyun’s parents traveled a lot that meant that the boy was by himself most of the time. Taeyong explained to him that the boy used to be bullied in school until they started to hang out with him. Now the bullying stopped, but the boy was so shy so he had hardly any friends at school. With every word that Taeyong said his insides hurt a bit, he recalled the boy he met during summer, he was such a sweet boy, even if he didn’t have the time to talk a lot with (the main cause being his infatuation with Johnny) he didn’t understand why would he was bullied.

 

 

When they reached Jaehyun’s house it was late and dark. Doyoung opened the door for them. He greeted everyone with a smile and a hug, even Taeil who was completely shocked from the sudden touch. Jaehyun was trying to make a pizza from start, the boy was covered in flour and other ingredients, but according to him it was going to be delicious. Doyoung only laughed at his side telling the others how he had to make the dough around four times because he couldn’t get the consistency right.

The boys decided to rest from their trip in the living room waiting for Jaehyun to change his clothes, he decided to give him his gift in that moment, so he decided to follow him quietly and wait for him in the hall. But he got lost in the house trying to find Jaehyun and he ended up crashing into the boy’s room. Taeil got shocked to see his bare torso, he then noticed how much the boy changed in those months, he was little taller now, and his shoulders, oh his shoulders.

Before starting to think about other things (he is still a minor, he reminded himself) he knocked carefully on the door. Jaehyun looked at him with surprise in his face but then his features softened. He was smiling.

“Hey, Yuta lied to me, and told me it was your birthday… so I brought you a present.”

Jaehyun laughed really hard and received the present with both hands hugging the older boy. Taeil felt embarrassed. “Can I open it?”

“Of course.”

He saw how Jaehyun transformed from a young boy to a child in less than a second. He ripped the wrapping paper that revealed a box. “Eh? What is it?” he opened the box carefully, he looked at the at the charm that was inside the box.

“It’s an amulet, for good luck.”

“Thank you.” Jaehyun hugged him tight, he felt his nose collide with Jaehyun’s collarbone. He hugged him back feeling so comfortable in those arms, which was weird, he barely knew him, but he gave him a comfortable vibe. He didn’t know how much it lasted the hug, but he didn’t mind if it was a little bit longer.

 

 

It started that day, they became close after that weekend. He found himself listening for hours Jaehyun’s complains about his parents, the adventures he had with Doyoung, and how lonely he felt in school because Doyoung didn’t stop studying for his university entrance exam. Jaehyun thought it was a waste of time that amount of studying. Taeil couldn’t disagree. They spent the new year together, because their families went to the same place to celebrate. His parents didn’t question why he disappeared after 2 am. And let’s be honest it was difficult to say no to a puppy faced Jaehyun begging him to stay a little longer outside, even if it was freaking cold.

They talked about everything and nothing at the same time. When they said good bye Jaehyun told him.

“By the way, the 14th February is my actual birthday…”

“Oh…”

“Can I ask you something for a present? I’m turning 18 this year…”

“If it doesn’t cost that much… you know I’m still a student.”

“No.” He laughed in an adorable way. “It won’t cost you a thing.”

“Ok. What is it?”

“I’m gonna tell you later, I have to go now, bye, have a good night.” Jaehyun stood up and kissed his cheek faster without any warning, he ran to his parent’s cottage and left Taeil with a hand on his cheek.

 

 

 

He decided to not put much thought on it, he has seen how apparently it was normal between their group to show that kind of affection. Yuta was always all over the other boys, Doyoung only did it with some of them. But cuddling was a regular thing for him, it didn’t go further from that, even he knew some of the boys were gay, they didn’t date between them, so it surprised him when Yuta came to him asking him for an advice.

“I had sex with Hansol…” He blurted out in the middle of their washing clothes dates, Taeil was sure that if he was drinking something in that moment, he would have spitted everything out.

“What? How?”

“I feel horrible, I know how he feels about me… I… don’t know what to do” Taeil was shocked to see how bad Yuta got, who in his mind was always carefree and didn’t give two fucks about anything. He saw him become smaller.

“When?”

“On new year’s he called me and Taeyong to go out to party, Taeyong was tired and didn’t want to go, Doyoung can’t party so it was only the two of us, and… shit happens… You know he is my precious friend, I don’t want to lose him, also, Taeyong and I…” Yuta bit his lip and Taeil opened his eyes. “If he founds out he’s gonna go nuts.”

“What? Why?”

“We’ve been dating since we were 16, gosh, I’m so stupid…”

“And why did you have sex Hansol?”

“I don’t remember most of the night… It was blurry, and I only remember kissing him and then waking up naked next to him…”

“Why you don’t remember most of the night?”

“I don’t know, I drank a lot in my family party, and then I drank one glass of vodka when we got in, it usually doesn’t affect me that much… but apparently, I can’t be trusted close to alcohol anymore.”

“Have you talked with Hansol since then?”

“No, I was scared, I left early, I didn’t realize what happened until later…”  Yuta looked more troubled, he then saw how thin the boy was and how his eyebags were more defined.

“Are you eating?”

“No, I can’t, I feel so guilty, every time I’m in the same room with Taeyong I feel like my lungs will explode.”

Taeil hugged him without saying anything else, Yuta cried in his shoulder for fifteen minutes before falling asleep in the same position. He texted Taeyong asking for help to carry him to his room.

When Taeyong arrived, Yuta was in deep sleep, and he was organizing his clothes in the same bench. Taeyong tried to wake up Yuta to help him go to their apartment.

“Since we came back from winter break this is the first time I see him sleep like this…”

“Is he that bad?”

“Yeah… and he doesn’t want to talk, when he gets an idea on his mind he can’t take it off…”

Taeil smiled sadly ad him, looking how he tried to carry Yuta in a bridal position. “Take care of him, he would tell you when he feels better… and be understanding…”

Taeyong looked at him weirdly but didn’t put much thought on it, he said good bye and walked away. Taeil saw the bunch of clothes that Yuta left next to his. He grabbed his and Yuta’s bag walking towards the staircase. He needed to confirm something.

He went into his apartment opening the door dramatically. Hansol was watching tv in the living room, he looked up not understanding why Taeil got in so abruptly. Taeil stood up in front of him taking deep breaths.

 

“Hansol…”

“Yeah, tell me…”

“What happened with Yuta?”

The silence between them became tense and Hansol started to fidget in his seat. “We only had sex”

Taeil looked at him thinking what to ask to get the answer that he wanted. “Did you know that he and Taeyong were dating, right?”

Hansol’s face deformed itself in surprise he began to mumble incomprehensible things that Taeil didn’t want to hear. “I thought he only said no because he was playing hard to get, you know that he flirts with everything that moves…”

“Are you even listening to yourself? Did you put something in his drink?”

“What? What are you accusing me of?!”

“I just want to be sure that you didn’t make such a low thing to be with him… he feels horrible, have you even talk to him after it?”

Hansol got up from the couch with his head hanging low. “I… I think I need some air…”

Taeil found himself not being able to follow him. He was right, Hansol must’ve put something in Yuta’s drink that night. He couldn’t stand being in that apartment for long, he grabbed his backpack and some clothes and headed towards the younger couple apartment.

 

“Hey, can I stay in your couch for tonight?” Taeyong looked at him with surprise. “It’s just for today, I fought with Hansol.” He explained briefly, Taeyong let him in without saying much, he signaled the couch and went to his bedroom. When Taeil was ready in the couch -he didn’t do much, he only covered himself with a blanket that was usually in the couch- he heard hushed voices coming from the bedroom.

He pictured in his head his friends holding each other talking about their lives. He felt happy just thinking about it. 

 

 

 

The next morning, he woke up after he felt the boys moving around the apartment. Taeyong was getting breakfast ready, while Yuta was fighting with the shower.

“Do you have classes today?” Taeyong asked him in a slow voice.

“Only in the afternoon.” He answered siting in the couch. “But don’t worry, I have errands to run so I’ll go with you guys…”

He got ready in a couple of minutes while the boys were having breakfast. He refused to eat only to leave a couple of minutes early. None of the boys asked anything about his sudden invasion.

 

 

**Hansol told me to tell you that he wasn’t going back this week.**

**What happened?**

EH? Why didn’t he tell me that?

Nothing much, don’t worry.

How’s school going?

**Here. Same old.**

**Hey, when are you coming back?**

At the end of this month.

I think.

But it won’t be for long cause I have to go back to my parents.

**Is it far from where I live?**

Not much.

I think one hour in train.

**Can I go to your house?**

Don’t you have classes during that time?

**I can skip a couple of days**

**Pleaaaseee~**

 

During the rest of the day Jaehyun sent him crying emoticons. He had fun ignoring them until Doyoung sent him telling him that Jaehyun was annoying him with all his whining. He sent him thumbs up emoticon while smiling at his phone.

After class Yuta asked him to go out for some coffee with him. He accepted gladly.

 

“Hansol sent me a message last night. He told me that I shouldn’t have told you. Why is he like that?”

“Yesterday I asked him if he put something in your drink. He didn’t answer, but he left the apartment before we could keep talking.”

Yuta opened his eyes in a way he was sure it must hurt. Taeil grabbed his arm trying to comfort him but Yuta looked restless, the boy started crying silently again. He grabbed his phone with his other hand searching for Taeyong’s number.

“We need to talk.” Was the only thing he said to Taeyong while leaving Yuta alone.

 

He explained the situation to Taeyong trying to remain calm, and trying to calm the boy in front of him. Later, he was on a bus thinking how scary Taeyong became, the boy was trembling with anger, but when he grabbed Yuta’s arm he did like whoever touches something so delicate you may break it, the problem was, Yuta was a little bit broken after it.

He didn’t say it out loud but he was jealous of their relationship, after twenty years he realized how much he was craving for someone to treat him that way. Without thinking too much about he took the train to the boy’s hometown.

“Hey, you home? Can I stay at your place for a bit?” He said over the phone. He needed to feel calm, and it was only a place that could give him the reassurance he needed.

“Yes! Are you coming? My parents are away ‘till the weekend.” Jaehyun answered trying to hide his excitement. They talked for a bit and said goodbye shortly after that. Taeil was in the train looking how the lights of the city moved away, it was dark and he wished he would be in some other place with someone, looking at the stars.

It was a Wednesday and he didn’t mind skipping a few classes in order to avoid all the drama that was coming. He knew Taeyong would look for Hansol just to punch him in the face, he knew also that Yuta would need someone to support him, but he also knew that it couldn’t be him. He just waited to not be contacted by Hansol, he didn’t want to deal with him either.

 

 

He reached the Jaehyun’s house close to midnight. The boy was in his pajamas looking tired, he let him in reaching for his hand, lead him through the house. He didn’t say anything when they reached Jaehyun’s bedroom, he let himself be guided to the bed being cuddled by the taller but younger man. He snuggled in his chest feeling the needed warmth to make him sleepy. He didn’t realize in what moment he felt asleep.

 

The next day he sent a message to all his classmates to take notes for him. Yuta sent him message but he ignored it. He prepared breakfast for the two of them and sent him to school. He was alone in the house most of the day, so he decided to catch on sleep and finish some homework he hadn’t had the opportunity to finish. He spent his day calmly, waiting for the younger to comeback.

 

He felt asleep in the couch after having lunch when he was awoken by his phone vibrating in his pocket.

 

“Taeil? Hey, where are you? I don’t know what’s going on, but someone left your stuff in the hall, a lady from your floor let us know…” He got up immediately hearing those words from Taeyong. He started to feel panic.

“I don’t know, he kicked me out? What the fuck? Where am I supposed to live now?” In his mind, he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt inside.

“Ok, calm down, where are you right now?”

 “I’m at Jaehyun’s”

“Ok, I’m not going to ask you why are you there… we can let your stuff in our storage room in the basement, while you’re looking for a place… please don’t do anything stupid, Jaehyun can look older, but he’s still a baby, he’s everybody’s baby…”

“I know… I know…”

“Yuta told me that he told you everything…” He blurted out of nowhere. “Jaehyun is the only one that knew it. He figured out himself.”

“Why you didn’t tell the others?” Taeil asked silently.

“Because we thought it may get into our friendship… you know it’s troublesome when in a group someone starts dating... I’m sorry…”

“No, it’s ok, I actually have it mind…”

“Ok, I’ll let you go… don’t worry about your stuff. I’ll keep you informed.”

“How’s Yuta?”

“He’s good… he still feels a little bit guilty, but we’re working on that. Bye, I have to go.”

 

He sent a message to Hansol asking him what the heck was wrong with him. He didn’t get an answer.

 

 

In the afternoon when Jaehyun came home after school he prepared some sandwiches as diner. Jaehyun told him about his day with excitement. Taeil listened with attention, laughing at his jokes. It felt just right.

 

 

Just before falling asleep in between those arms he realized how wide was Jaehyun’s shoulders, how perfectly he fit in between them.

 

 

 

He went back to Taeyong and Yuta’s apartment on a Friday night, before leaving Doyoung and Jaehyun making pizza in the kitchen. He felt so lightweight on his way back that he almost forgot what was waiting for him.

 

He was received with tight hug from the boys. They told him how they found out that Hansol had cancelled their contract, thus he had nowhere to live now, the worst thing about it was that he wasn’t as well off to rent an apartment by himself. With that in mind he decided to go back to the university’s dorms.

It was uncomfortable at first. But then he found himself getting used to it (he also spent a lot of his afternoon’s in the boys’ apartment).

Around the same time, they discovered that Doyoung didn’t put their university as an option. It hurt Taeyong and Yuta, but after a while, they accepted it. Doyoung was always the smarter between them and deserved to choose what he wanted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaehyun’s birthday went in a blur, he got to meet his parents and something felt weird in his stomach, he tried so hard to impress them, even if he didn’t need it.

 

 

That night Jaehyun asked him for a kiss. Taeil kissed the boy’s temple, before looking at the sky in the backyard. He felt asleep hugging the younger.

 

 

 

Johnny came back on a Thursday. It was spring holidays and all of them were crashing from house to house. Taeil went back to his hometown and Jaehyun went with him for a couple of days. They spent the days lazing out in Taeil’s room watching movies, walking through the cherry blossom path side to side. Too afraid to show affection in public. Johnny was there for a couple of days too, he felt weird. Like cheating someone, when he hadn’t done anything wrong, yet.

 

 

 

They threw a party in Taeyong and Yuta’s apartment to say good bye to their holidays. He could have kissed Johnny there, but he regretted approaching the taller man in that way, so he just pecked his cheek. Johnny looked at him with confusion in his eyes. Then he saw Jaehyun in a corner playing with Yuta. He looked at him smiling, understanding the whole situation in seconds. Only then he realized he never liked Johnny that much, he was distracted with his back and the smooth talk, even though he was thankful, for being giving him such a beautiful first kiss.  

 

Taeil went to Jaehyun’s side after talking a bit with Johnny, he caressed the younger boy’s hair until he fell asleep, Jaehyun was still playing.

 

 

 

When all the cherry blossoms have fallen, he noticed how on contrary of him Jaehyun bloomed earlier, or maybe just in the right time. The boy laughed at him and his slow walking through the park. When they reached a small coffee shop, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

“Next year I’m going to be with you…” Jaehyun said looking at his green tea latte, he didn’t specify what he meant by that, if it was because he was choosing the same university or it was because they were going to start going out (not that they weren’t going out already, but to make it more official), they haven’t kissed yet, mostly because he respected Jaehyun and was waiting patiently (sometimes not that much) for him to go out from school.

But deep inside him he was thinking how he was going to miss going back and forth between cities, only to be received in those arms after a tiring day. Not that it wasn’t going to happen anymore, but he loved the thrills that the short train trip gave him.

 

 

Jaehyun took his hand, interlacing their fingers, Taeil nodded smiling at him, his feelings blooming through his skin. 

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for making hansol the bad guy  
> hope you had fun reading :D!


End file.
